The Representation of Women in Indian Advertising

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INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the ways in which advertising represents women and how it has an effect on women, children, and society as a whole.

RESEARCH PROBLEM

Exposure to media can easily influence a huge audience, therefore the representation of women in advertising specifically can cultivate sexist attitudes towards women. In India, women are subjected to a lot of objectification in advertising. Therefore, advertising’s effect on women in India will be the area of concern.

OVERVIEW OR BACKGROUND

Research generally indicates that both men and women are usually portrayed in a stereotypical way in advertising, however women in India are subjected to varying degrees of objectification and sexualization in Indian advertising. In addition, Indian women are often portrayed in sexist roles such as homemaker. Exposure to such representations can have dire effects on women, children, and society as a whole. Therefore, this research investigates the relationship between the aforementioned representations and Indian society.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Research Question: To what extent does Indian advertising’s representation of women affect women, children, and the Indian society?

Null Hypothesis: Indian’s advertising’s representation of women negatively affects society’s view on women.

RESEARCH AIM

The aim of this research is to highlight the effects that negative representations of women in advertising impose on women, children, and society as a whole. It is important to clarify the ways in which Indian culture perpetuates a negative portrayal of women which is reflected in its advertising, in order to seek positive representations of women in the future. Therefore, my goal is to present the varying degrees of sexism in advertising and its detrimental effects on women in hopes that Indian advertising continues to make an effort to present women in a positive light.

REFERENCES

Das, M. (2000). Men and women in indian magazine advertisements: A preliminary report. Sex Roles, 43(9), 699-717. Retrieved from: http://aus.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.aus.idm.oclc.org/docview/225380143?accountid=16946

Raychaudhuri, P. (2014). Challenging the Female Stereotypes in Indian Television Advertisements: The Women Consumers’ Perspective. Indian Journal of Marketing, 44(5), p.30.

Flerx, V. (1976). Sex role stereotypes: Developmental aspects and early intervention. Child Development, 47 (4), 998-1007.

Jaggi, R. (2015). Women in Indian T.V. Advertising: The ‘Discourse’ in the ‘Fair & Lovely Ad Campaign’. IMS Manthan, 8(2), 600-890.

Madhukalya, A. (2016). Pepe Jeans Is Being Called Out For Their Incredibly Sexist New Ad. [online] HuffPost India. Retrieved from: https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/10/13/pepe-jeans-is-being-called-out-for-their-incredibly-sexist-new-a_a_21581515/

Besant, A (2018). Ford India Ad Stirs Controversy After Women Depicted Bound and Gagged. Global Post. Retrieved from: https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-03-24/ford-india-ad-stirs-controversy-after-women-depicted-bound-and-gagged